Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
The State, of Columbia, S.C., on Britney Spears and conservatorship legislation (July 20):
#FreeBritney.
The hashtag seen ’round the world is getting support from Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.
On Tuesday, Mace introduced legislation, co-sponsored by Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., to protect the rights of those under conservatorships, including pop singer Britney Spears.
The bill, called the Free Britney Act, would require someone under guardianship to have the right to ask a judge to replace a private guardian or conservator with a public guardian or a family member.
In addition, caseworkers would be designated for every person under guardianship to monitor for signs of abuse. The bill would also provide grants to states to pay the salaries of those caseworkers.
Conservatorships, as explained by the California Supreme Court’s website, come about during a court proceeding where a judge appoints a responsible person (called a conservator) to care for another adult who cannot care for him/herself or his/her finances (called a conservatee).
The bill highlights a number of incidents of conservatorship gone wrong, specifically mentioning “the inability of Britney Spears to free herself from her father’s control, indicate that State guardianship and conservatorship systems can deprive a United States citizen or resident of liberty and property without due process.”
Spears’ father has been designated as her conservator since 2008. In recent court proceedings, Spears said it was long enough.
“I just want my life back,” Spears said. Spears’ situation has garnered worldwide attention and if Mace and Crist’s bill can aid people in similar situations, we support the effort.